Boarding a mobile platform, such as a commercial aircraft, often involves the storage of luggage in storage compartments of the mobile platform. When storage compartments are closed, the contents of the storage compartments and the capacity of the storage compartments to store additional luggage is unknown. To ascertain the contents or storage capacity status of a closed storage compartment, the storage compartment must be opened. Repeatedly opening and closing storage compartments during the boarding process may not be time efficient. Additionally, efficiency may be lessened when crew and passengers are moving about a passenger area of the mobile platform looking for available storage compartments.